Partition end supporting device



Aug. 23, 1938. P. H. MEYER 2,127,327

' I PARTITION END SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed July 51, 1936 lid, v /4 4, ad h 'l I) INVENTORV ATToR Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to devices for supporting the end walls of glass or other partitions such as are commonly employed in the sub-division of shelving and counters; and the object of the invention is to provide a supporting device which is simple and economical in construction and further which is capable of yielding in lateral and longitudinal directions with respect to a partition so as to compensate for slight variations in partition lengths and alinements; a further object being to provide a supporting device of the class described formed from a substantially rectangular sheet metal blank cut and fashioned to form a U-shaped partition supporting clip and a base plate integral with one end of the crosshead of said clip and disposed along the open lower end of the clip and projecting at opposite sides thereof to form supporting feet; a further object being to. provide the upper edges of the side wall of the clip with a cut-out portion facilitating the insertion of a partition in said clip; and with these and other objects in View the invention consists in a partition supporting device of the class described which, while possessing greater stability, also includes a yieldable mounting as is more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying 3 drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a partition wall showing one of my improved supporting devices at each end thereof with the central portion of the wall broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 indicating one arrangement of the device 0 upon a counter or other support.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of my improved devices detached on an enlarged scale; and,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the device is formed.

While it is old in the art to provide end Wall supports for glass and other partitions commonly employed in shelving and counter displays, such devices have either been too rigid and costly in construction, or too flimsy or weak in their mounting, and it is the object of my invention to provide an end support which is simple and economical in construction and at the same time provides a strong and sturdy mounting, and yet, one which has limited flexing properties to compensate for a slight variation in partition sizes and alinements.

In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a blank 5 of sheet metal or other suitable material as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawing. This blank is cut, as seen as 6, substantially centrally of the side walls of the blank and is then folded on the lines I, 8 and 9 to divide the blank into a base plate portion l0 having nail and screw apertures l I for attaching the base plate to a suitable support, and a narrow vertical wall [2 forming the cross-head of a substantially U-shaped clip having similar side walls l3--l 3a,. The blank slide is cut out, as seen at 14, to form on the outer upper end portions of the walls I3 and 13a, upwardly extending flanges I5 and I50. which are flared outwardly, which outward flaring in conjunction with the cut-out or notch 14 facilitates the insertion of a partition strip [6 into the clip or between the side walls l3-l3a, thereof.

It will be noted upon a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing that the free ends I! of the walls l3--I3a of the U-shaped clip normally flex inwardly so that in inserting the partition [6 these walls will be forced outwardly and at all times tensionally engage opposite side surfaces of the partition I6. Upon a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the lower edges [8 of the side walls 13-! 3a are preferably arranged slightly above the upper surface of the base plate It] so as to permit forward and upward tilting of the clip, as a whole, with respect to the base plate to compensate for partition strips of different lengths and at the same time this will permit slight lateral flexure of the U-shaped clip with respect to the base plate to compensate for slight irregularities in longitudinal alinement of the partition strips.

It will appear from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, that the apertured ends of the base plate project outwardly beyond the walls l3l3a to form sturdy supporting feet, it being further apparent that the clip is disposed directly above and is substantially within the peripheral edge boundaries of the base plate.

To illustrate one method of mounting, I have shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing at l9 a part of a counter to which one of my improved supporting devices may be secured by screws or other fasteners as indicated at 20, the same passing through the apertures II, and at 2| I have shown an upstanding flange or molding forming a boundary edge of the counter or shelf. It will appear that the cross-head wall l2 of the clip may be arranged in close proximity to the flange or wall 2|,

thus forming a neat and finished appearance for the entire mounting.

It will also be understood that the supporting device may be secured to a sham or other supplemental support arranged upon a counter as is known in the art. In this connection, it will also be understood that my improved device may be arranged upon shelving or supported in any desired manner on a shelf, counter, board or other support depending entirely upon the use intended.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

An end support for partitions of the class described comprising a base plate of sheet material having a smooth upper surface, a substantially rectangular U-shaped clip of a width substantially equal to the Width of the base plate and of the base plate, means whereby the base plate 10 may be attached to a suitable support, the free end portions of the side walls of said rectangular clip being of greater height than that part of the walls joining said cross head to form upwardly projecting lips or flanges, and said lips or flanges being flared laterally to provide free insertion of a partition in said clip.

PIERRE H. MEYER. 

